The Sevier County Court House is treasured by residents. Local mandates require that no building can be taller than the Court House's cupola.

The City of Sevierville has suffered numerous floods throughout its history.

Dolly Parton, Sevier County's most-famous native, is represented by a life-sized bronze statue in the Court House Square.

Tennessee Valley Authority's Douglas Dam, opened February 19, 1943, is located on the French Broad River on the boundary of Sevier and Jefferson Counties.

This is a typical scene of an early 20th Century farm house in Sevier County.

The French Broad River traverses Sevier County, giving rise to social, economic, and other divisions "north" and "south" of the river.

The original bridge was destroyed in 1875. Elbert Stephenson Early rebuilt the Harrisburg Covered Bridge later in 1875. This is the only surviving covered bridge in Sevier County and is still being used for both foot traffic and vehicles.

Images of Sevier County citizens.

The functioning Old Mill, located in Pigeon Forge, is a popular tourist attraction.

While we are unable to perform research for you, we are happy to guide you toward resources. Simply click the Contact Us link in the menu.

Military Pension Files of Sevier Countians

The following abstracts are provided by the
individuals indicated. If you wish to share an abstract, please contact the Webmistress through the Contact Us link on the Menu.

Pensioner: James E. Douglass,
son of Soldier Andrew J. Douglass

Period: Civil War

Submitted by Phyllis
McReynolds

Andrew J. Douglass was a member of Company
"B", 9th Tennessee Cavalry. He enrolled on the 12th day of July 1863
to serve three years and was discharged from the service on or about the
11th day of July 1865. He was mustered in at Camp Nelson, KY. Andrew
was captured at Morristown, TN on November 13, 1864, was confined at Morristown,
TN and also confined at Danville, VA, February 12, 1865, moved from Danville,
VA to Richmond, VA and paroled at James River, VA, Feb 22, 1865. Military
records show the muster in age as 33 years and the muster out age as 24
years.

Andrew died in December of 1881; his son, James E., was 13 years old. James
E. applied for his father's pension November 15, 1898. His attorney
was Jacob H. DeWees of Washington DC. The pension papers state that
Andrew died from "disabilities caused from exposure while in the service
of the United States on the 18th day of December 1881 and at the time of
his death, bore the rank of a private in Company "B" 9th Regiment, Tenn
Cavalry Volunteers and that he left no widow surviving him. That his
wife Sarah Douglass died on the 7th day of July 1878. That the above
named are the only legitimate child of Andrew J. Douglass who were under
sixteen years of age at the time of his death". The papers also state
that his mother was married under the name of Sarah Chambers to Andrew J.
Douglass.

There are letters from Jacob H. DeWees to the Hon. H. Clay Evans beginning
in 1900 and going through 1903, but there is no evidence of approval or
rejection of this pension application.

Francis M. Hancock was a member of Company "C", 9th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry.
He was mustered into the service of the United States at Camp Nelson,
KY on the 28th day of July 1863. Francis died at Gallatin, TN on June
23, 1864. He died of "typho malarial fever". Francis was born in the
State of South Carolina and was aged 27 years at the time of his death.

Francis M. and Sarah Teague were married in Sevier County, TN on May 29,
1853 by Enoch Underwood, Justice of the Peace. Application for Pension
was originally filed by the widow of Francis, but later rejected because
of her remarriage to Robert Brock on June 13, 1866. Sarah applied
for a Widows Pension in February 1865. At that time she was a resident
of the 8th District in Sevier County.

After the remarriage of Sarah, Perry Hancock was appointed guardian for
the four children of Francis and Sarah. Perry lived at Henry's Cross
Roads in Sevier County. The children of Francis and Sarah were: Lewis
Irwin, Isaac Lafayette, George Washington, and James F. M. Hancock. Jane
Hancock was present at the birth of each of these children. Also present
at some of these births were: Sarah Cate and Lucinda Smith.

The pension was approved at "rate per month $8, commencing 24 June 1864
ending 12 Nov 1879. Additional sum of $2 per month for each of the four
children, until arriving at the age of 16 years, commencing 25 day of July
1866."

There are also affidavits as to the "Evidence as to Date and Place of Minor
Child's Birth." Attorneys for this application were Butler &
Smith, Knoxville, TN.

Pensioner: Jane
Worthy Hancock, widow of Soldier Lewis Hancock

Period: Civil War

Submitted by Phyllis
McReynolds

Date of Application: February
10, 1865

Lewis Hancock was a member of Company "E", 9th Regiment of TENN CAV Volunteers.
He died at Nashville General Hospital in Nashville, TN February 29,
1864. Cause of death was "Inflammation of Bronchi & Pluri". Lewis
was enrolled on the 22nd day of September 1863 and mustered in on the 6th
day of October 1863. Lewis and Jane lived in the 2nd district of Sevier
County. Lewis was born in Chester District, South Carolina and he
and Jane were married in Chester District, South Carolina on the 15th day
of January 1834. There were two children, neither were under the age
of 16 at the time of Lewis' death. The Hancock's came to Tennessee
sometime after 1840. According to the "Record of Death and Interment"
the age of the deceased was 54 years.

There was no proof of marriage between Lewis and Jane, as a Bible which
could have served as proof had been burned. There were, in Sevier
County, two witnesses to the marriage in South Carolina. Lewis' sister,
Lucinda Smith (wife of James Smith), and Jane's sister, Nancy Nelson (wife
of Robert Nelson). There were several letters from residents in Sevier
County who said they were acquainted with Jane and Lewis and that "they
lived and cohabited together as man and wife until the time when he entered
the service, and that they were generally recognized as such by their acquaintances
and neighbors, and their marriage was never questioned."

At the time Jane applied for the pension she was a resident of Dandridge,
Jefferson County, TN. The pension was approved: Rate per month was
$8 commencing 29 February 1864. The certificate was dated July 18,
1870. The certificate number was 143,701. Attorneys for Jane
Hancock were Butler & Smith, Knoxville, TN.

Pensioner: Oliver Henry

Period: Civil War

Submitted by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Oliver Henry a resident of Sevier County,
Tennessee enlisted at Louisville, Kentucky on December 1, 1862. He
enlisted as a private in Co. D. commanded by William Pickens in the 3rd
regiment of East Tennessee Cavalry. He was honorably discharged August 3,
1865. He filed for a pension #163636 on February 6, 1871. In a sworn
statement he states he experienced coughing and hemorrhage of the lungs.
He never was in the hospital or treated by the regiment surgeon. He
was given medicine by Lt. Reavly (sp) who was a Doctor. At that time
he was a 2nd Lt. and since he and Lt. Reavly were the only officers he did
not want to leave the Lt. alone. Their Captain S. T. Harris was in
a rebel prison. Oliver Henry died June 28, 1878, while his pension
application was still pending. His widow Nancy Henry did receive a
pension of $15.00. Records do not indicate when it commenced. There
are sworn statements from Dr. A. A. Caldwell of Jefferson County. Dr.
J. Nat Lyle, MD, Dandridge, TN, attesting to Oliver Henry's feeble health
and tubercular consumption.

Originally filed on May 16,1901 and rejected on August
11,1905. The application number is 3396. Soldiers Application
for Pension Danial W. Joslin was a native of Mississippi and a citizen
of Tennessee, resident at Cox, in Sevier County. He was a member
of the 17th Mississippi, Company “E”, Confederate States Army. He
was wounded at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on or about the first of the
winter or the last of fall of 1862. Danial was lying behind a brick
wall when a solid cannon ball pierced it. He was hit with a brick
on top of his head and rendered inservicable for about 24 hours. Danial
was born in Tishominga County, Mississippi, on May 16,1842. Danial
enlisted about May 16,1861. His reason for applying for a pension
was he suffers from aching head all the time and is almost deaf in both
ears at times. Danial claims he was incapacitated for several days
and was not discharged for this injury. Danial did take the oath
of allegiance to the United States Government. He is married and
has eleven children. Four of the children are boys, of which two
are dead and seven are girls, of which three are dead. Danial says
that none of his children are able to support him because they are married
and one daughter lives with him. Danial works in a sawmill about
½ of his time because that is all he is able to work. He makes $.42
a day. Danial owns no Real Estate nor private property except a
milk cow. This application was dated April 11, 1901, and witnessed
by three people because Danial is unable to write. I received this
application from the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville,
Tennessee. Along with the above information there are several letters
to a General Frank Moses for help with his pension application. There
are also several letters from Committee of Invalid Pensions. There
is also a statement from a doctor in regards to Danial’s disability. The
reason for rejection was that the material submitted was not enough to
prove a disability.